Transition to Light Rail Transit

Santa Ana is still a ways off from implementing the proposed light rail that will connect the Metrolink station to the Pacific Electric Right of Way that leads to LA County. A locally preferred alternative has not yet been officially announced, and likely will not be announced until 2011, even though the early consensus is that a light rail is the preferred alternative. I spoke to representatives of the project and was told that the first phase would not be completed until 2015. What’s bothersome is that the first phase only goes as far as Bristol street.

Meanwhile, Foothill Transit in LA County breaks ground on the extension of the Gold Rail, an almost 12 mile extension that is slated to be completed by 2014. 12 miles. In four years. And what do we get? SARTC to Bristol, in the same time span.

I strongly encourage residents and politicians to support this project and to see it through its entire completion, that is, from SATRC to the Blue & Green Line connecting station at Wilmington. It is crucial to have this completed because if this project is stalled because of new political challengers, (if they are elected), that new political order will surely be the laughing stock of the Greater Los Angeles region.